RWBY - To Atlas, to Atlas
by Darkpenn
Summary: And now, the path will take Team RWBY in a new direction.


**To Atlas, to Atlas**

 _And now, the path will take Team RWBY in a new direction._

[Author's Note: This story takes place soon after the end of the story collection _Volume 6 – Fighting Back_. It is the third and final story of a set of 'transition' stories that will lead to _Volume 7_.]

"Well, at least we've got the place to ourselves," said Yang, looking around at the dusty gym of Beacon Academy. Glynda and Qrow, with the help of Team VALIANT and Team Coffee, were slowly reconstructing Beacon Academy but they had not yet reached this part.

"That's good, because we've got a lot of training to do," said Ruby.

"Uh, you remember that a few days ago we killed several thousand Grimm, including a dragon, right?" said Weiss.

"I know," said Ruby. "But look at this." She called up some recent news footage on her scroll. It was of the bank robbery done by Emerald and Mercury, and there was some more video that showed them making their getaway in a huge truck – driven by Neo, and with Adam in the front seat.

"This means we should now consider the four of them a team," said Ruby. "And when Yang and I fought Emerald and Mercury at Haven, we did not do well. Fortunately, I have come up with some team strategies that I believe will be successful."

They all watched the footage again, and then again. "That little ice-cream twerp is annoyingly fast and strong," said Yang. "She wiped the floor with me on the train. And always with that darn smile. Emerald's illusions, well, they can make you waste a lot of energy punching shadows. And she's pretty tough even without the Semblance."

"Maybe you can make use of this," said Ruby, handing Yang a box-like device that fitted onto her mechanical arm. "I whipped it up in the machine shop."

"You never cease to surprise me, sis," said Ruby, checking out the attachment.

"Adam should not be under-estimated," said Blake. "I took him down in Haven but it was mostly because I surprised him. And that sword of his ... very dangerous. It's also a gun."

"I suppose the fact that they robbed a bank means they are no longer on Team SALEM," said Weiss. "Which doesn't make them any less dangerous. Possibly more."

"Trying to fight them one-to-one is not going to work," said Ruby. She explained what she had in mind. The others nodded.

They got to work.

A few hours and a lot of sweat later, Ruby said they could take a break.

As they sat together on the floor, catching their breath, Ruby took _The Book of Relics_ from her pack.

"This is very interesting, even though I've only read the first few chapters," she said. "I still don't understand why no-one else can read it, it's plain enough to me. I'm not sure if it's all true, some of these things sound like myths and fairytales. There are stories about previous Maidens, and famous weapons, all sorts of stuff. And this part here, for example, explains how the power of the relics can be transferred. This is a spell, apparently, that can move it from one object to another. Before the Knowledge Relic was a lantern it was a stone, plain and simple. The Choice Relic was once a book of blank pages. It is even possible for a relic to be something living.

"Over time they can have an influence on the people around them, according to this other section. I'm not sure how that works, even though I can read the text some passages are pretty vague.

"The Knowledge relic is safely hidden, out of Salem's reach. The locations of the Choice relic and the Destruction relic are unknown. That leaves the Creation relic, which Ochre said is in Atlas."

"Taken there by a tall, handsome man with a mechanical arm," said Yang. "I'm guessing not Professor Port."

"I have to say that I have always liked General Ironwood," said Weiss. "He has been good to my sister, and is no great friend of my stepfather, positive points in my book. But I cannot say that I have ever really trusted him. He's a bit like Ozpin – you never really know what he is thinking, or why. Always a plan within another plan."

"Ruby, what you said about a relic having an influence on the people around it," said Blake. "Do you think that that might explain how Atlas has grown so powerful, and is so good on the tech side? And also why Vacuo is so, well, awful."

"The timing of when the relic was moved to Atlas fits that," said Ruby. "So ... possibly."

"Nora said that Salem's minions found out that the Creation relic is not at Shade Academy," said Yang. "So she will work out where it is. And is likely to make a play for it, somehow or other."

"Then maybe we should take a trip to Atlas and discuss all this with General Ironwood," said Ruby.

"Hmm," said Weiss. "Atlas."

The others looked at her. They all knew that Atlas was Weiss' home – and a place of bad memories.

"Are you alright with it?" said Blake.

Weiss considered. Then she said: "Yes. I'm alright with it. Just so long as it doesn't turn into the family reunion from Hell. Lunch with Whitley was bad enough."

Ruby nodded. She put the book down and got to her feet. "We should keep going with the training," she said.

"What, more?" said Yang.

"Yep," said Ruby. "Next time, we won't be unprepared. So ... _again!_ "

So they started the collaborative routines once more.

Behind them, a draught blew _The Book of Relics_ open, and turned the pages. It stopped at a certain page near the back, a page with a drawing. To nearly everyone, the picture would have been too blurred and indistinct to make out. But Ruby would have recognised the weapon immediately.

 _Myrtenaster_.

END


End file.
